This invention has been derived from building and testing numerous Thermal Oxidizer and heat reactors units since 1993. Originally conceived and tested to destroy automotive and diesel engine exhaust pollution it has now proven to be an excellent source of high temperature to destroy emissions exhausted through smoke stacks, restaurant exhaust vents and the like. The same basic design has now proven to be an energy efficient and economical way to eliminate pollutants from home and commercial heating applications as well.
Reducing air pollution, particularly emissions from heating devices and diesel engines, harmful fuel odors and particulates has become a strong environmental objective both in the United States and around the world. Because of worldwide tightening of pollution emission standards, inventors have continually tried to invent devices and methods that will meet these increasingly stringent standards. This invention is most efficient and is extremely simple in construction with no moving parts, is most advantageous and cost effective.
There have been numerous attempts within the known prior art to develop a device that would be feasible and efficient. However, heretofore true success has not been attainable. Some examples of the prior art include the following patents.
Publication Number: 2008/0041044, entitled, “Device for Purifying Exhaust Gas of an Internal Combustion Engine”. This device is somewhat functional for its intended use but it is clearly very limited as it is specifically designed only for use with an internal combustion engine. It could not be used with any other type of pollution source. This is very unlike the present invention which is extremely versatile and applicable with any type of apparatus, engine, etc. More importantly the present invention greatly reduces NOx, soot, CO, hydrocarbons, VOC's and other pollutants as necessary in a new and novel manner.
Another example of known prior art is Publication Number: 2008/0047260, entitled “Exhaust After Treatment System With Spiral Mixer”. This reference is again much too complicated and not feasible for numerous variable applications of use. The reference is somewhat functional if used with small engines but it is still very limited and uses numerous costly components, all of which the present invention completely eliminates.
A further example of known prior art is Publication Number: 2008/0053073, entitled “Reformer Assisted Lean NOx Catalyst After Treatment System And Method”. This reference must be attached onto a lean burning, oxygen-rich engine only. For this device to operate it needs to be attached onto the engine and cannot be used with any type of exhaust system. More importantly the device requires use of expensive catalytic converters and various components, again all of which the present invention eliminates. If this device were to get even slightly fuel rich, the soot and hydrocarbons will clog-up the expensive catalytic converters, etc., thus, resulting in a device that is expensive, unreliable and simply not functional.
Another example of known prior art is Publication Number: 2008/0064587, entitled “Oxidation Catalyst For Exhaust Gas Purification, Catalyst Structure For Exhaust Gas Purification and Method for Purifying Exhaust Gas”. This again is much too complicated and costly and additionally requires use of an oxidation catalyst. More importantly, this reference is only functional for removal of CO and HC and is not usable for reducing or eliminating pollution of any other type, such as NOx, CO2 and Soot etc.
Still another example of known prior art includes Publication Number: 2008/0066456, entitled “Method and Apparatus To Selectively Reduce NOx In An Exhaust Gas Feedstream”. Again this reference is extremely limited in use as it is only functional for reduction of NOx by the use of SCR and is only feasible for a four cycle engine. A two cycle engine only runs with a rich environment in the exhaust and would therefore overwhelm their catalysts. A further disadvantage of this reference is the requirement for silver in their catalyst of which further selectively reduces NOx. A four cycle engine running lean all the time is an engine without any power. The present invention is efficient with any type of exhaust and is clearly not limited to either a two or four cycle engine. The noted reference is still further limited as it injects inject HC into the system to work with a selective catalytic converter to reduce NOx. The present invention during normal operation injects fuel into the system to heat up the pollution in order to burn all constituents contained therein. Thus again when compared to the prior art the present invention is extremely simplified and eliminates the need for additional components/substances, etc., in a manner heretofore not taught.
Further prior art includes Publication Number: 2008/0072578, entitled “Treatment System and Methods For Internal Combustion Engine Exhaust Streams”. This is a complex pollution management system where they have several catalysts in sequence in order to reduce the pollution. The reference uses noble metals and other precious metal components in the three way catalysts. Some of the noble metals in the platinum group exceed $2100.00 per ounce. This would become a very pricey set of catalytic converters, also in use HC and soot will clog the system eliminating any efficiency. The system requires extra air to provide for an engine lean burning exhaust atmosphere. Again the system is only adaptable for four cycle engines. The system is much too complex and expensive. The present invention accomplishes new and novel results without the need for expensive catalysts, precious metal components, etc.
Other prior art includes Publication Number: 2008/80087008, entitled “Duel Injector System For Diesel Emissions Control”. Again this reference is simply not feasible due to the need for additional components, catalyst's, etc, all of which the present invention clearly eliminates. It is clear within the prior art the advantage of a “VORTEX” has not been recognized and incorporated such as taught within the present invention.
Still further prior art includes Publication Number: 2008/8008700, entitled “Exhaust Gas Purifying Apparatus For Engine”. This reference is very complex and expensive to build. FIGS. 3 through 9 of the reference detail the complicated algorithms and or timing of the system. The complexity of the controller and its code are reflected in the complexity of the physical mechanical parts of the system.
Yet another type of prior art includes Publication Number: 2008/80087434, entitled “Engine/Steam Generator With Afterburner”. This reference incorporates us of Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), when mixed with hydrocarbon based liquids such as used in vehicles is also used as a strong oxidizing propellant in liquid propellant rocket motors. High concentrations of H2O2 will react violently with anything it comes in contact with. Notably, Iron and Copper are incompatible with hydrogen peroxide; both are common metals in all types of vehicles. It will also corrode the human skin in a very short time. Amongst other negatives with this system is that there are no infrastructures to handle this type of material near any roadways in the US or Europe, let alone the rest of the world. This is a very dangerous liquid to even think about putting into an automobile. High strength hydrogen peroxide 70% to 99% pure H2O2 is a volatile liquid that corrodes just about any metals or organic material that it comes in contact with.
There remains a continuous need for a device that can always eliminate virtually all compounds such as, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, odors and organic and inorganic particulates from pollution exhausted from a pollution source such as a household chimney, smokestack, or any type of exhaust vent and still be energy efficient and significantly reduce oxides of nitrogen and CO2.